No matter your instrument or ability level, if you’re a musician over 50 you can take part in a movement sweeping Lincolnshire by joining the New Tricks music group in Gainsborough! The group, meeting on Thursdays from 4.30pm to 6.30pm, is an instrumental group bringing together an array of instruments including guitar and saxophone, open to anyone from beginners through to experts. Your first session is completely free to attend and have a go — so there’s no reason not to try!
New Tricks is a project run by Lincolnshire-based community music organisation soundLINCS, supported by funding from Arts Council England and the People’s Postcode Lottery.
The project is now taking place in over a dozen locations across Lincolnshire and aims to provide adults aged 50 and over, with the opportunity to shape a new musical group around their passions, whether that’s creating music, exploring new instruments or learning their favourite tunes as part of a fun and social group.
Led by soundLINCS Music Facilitator Cliff Stanton, the Gainsborough session takes place at the Affordable Foods Lounge on Queensway, and has evolved to encompass a range of genres, and having performed at an event to celebrate the United Nations’ Older People’s Day in October.
Nikki-Kate Heyes MBE, soundLINCS CEO, said: “We’re delighted that New Tricks is continuing to grow and that we have this great opportunity to continue to build and develop the project. We are discovering an ever-growing and enthusiastic abundance of individuals yearning to make music and want to provide as many people as possible across the county with quality innovative music-making opportunities over its lifetime.
“We truly believe that it should be a right for all older adults to have access to music, and that the opportunity to be creative or appreciate creativity should never be denied. Off the back of the great success of the current sessions we hope to set up many more groups in the coming months and years to create a vibrant culture of enjoying, learning, playing, writing and sharing music with others.”
The benefits of music for adults has been a hot topic in recent months and years, with the positive impact on social, mental and physical health all highlighted in numerous pieces of research. As well as helping you keep active and creative, the New Tricks groups are friendly gatherings open to sharing ideas and tips to develop together.
In addition to Gainsborough, sessions are currently running in Lincoln, Boston, North Hykeham, Spalding, Grimsby, Woodhall Spa, Grantham and many more. Genres vary from folk, blues and classic rock through to ukulele and drumming. To see a full listing of sessions please visit www.soundlincs.org/new-tricks.
New Tricks continues to expand and soundLINCS are always on the lookout for new venues or individuals to collaborate with. If you would like to be part of New Tricks or could host a musical offer in your venue; or are desperate for a samba, folk or any other genre of group to start in your area, then get in touch with them, they would love to talk to you and explore potential options.
For more information or to register your interest in the project please contact soundLINCS on 01522 510073 or info@soundlincs.org.